Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Dear Interfaith-y Rabbis: Do the Words "Al Andalus" Ring Any Bells?

Rabbis both left and right are bound to make boo-boos re the potential for Middle East "peace" when they ignore the elephant--or, to be more regionally accurate, the camel--in the parlous parlor. That being the fact that, according to the teachings of Islam, once a land has been conquered for Allah, there's no going back--no way, no how, not ever. Hence, this foolishness in the Toronto Star wherein a Reform rabbi (Dow Marmur) touts the cluelessness of an Orthodox one (Rabbi Michael Melchior, "the leader of the small religious Zionist Meimad party in Israel"):

...Throughout his career this Danish-born scion of generations of distinguished rabbis has been in the forefront of progressive causes in Israel. He remains undeterred in his peace activism. In an interview last September in the online English-language daily the Times of Israel he disclosed that he has continued to meet with leading Palestinian personalities — including leaders of Hamas, the terrorists who rule Gaza — and that they are all sincere in their desire for peace with Israel.

Though Melchior is a politician, his approach goes far beyond politics. Based on his vast experience in interfaith work, he’s confident that it’s possible to bring together Jewish and Muslim religious leaders who “would give their religious legitimization for a two-state solution, which would accept that there is a Jewish state next to a Palestinian state living in peace.”

He envisages not only an Arab minority in Israel, as is now the case, but even “a Jewish minority living in Palestine” as a solution to the vexing problem of Israeli settlements.

These could remain Jewish in a Palestinian state...

Hey, if that's what "Hamas leaders" say, there's no reason not to believe them, right? (One wonders if Melchior is aware than they have a different--which is to to say an Islamic--definition of "peace" than he does.)Sounds like the rabbi has partaken of a few too many interfaith-y samosas in his time, and they've caused his brain to seize up.